17

17: The number sends chills through every Mets fans spine. It was last year around this time that the Mets were "Up 7 games with 17 to go." As you may know, the Mets went 5-12 in those remaining 17 games and ended up losing the National League East by 1 game to the Phillies.

This year the 17 games remaining guidepost arrived on Saturday the 13th, with a double-header against the Braves on the docket. The Phils were hosting the current wild-card leaders Milwaukee. The Phils won their game against the Brewers 7-3, and the Mets lost the opener of the double-header in heartbreaking, 2007 reminding, fashion. A 2-0 lead that could not be built upon, became a 3-2 loss.

With the lead, down to two games, the Mets responded in the night cap. Behind 8 shutout innings from rookie Jon Niese and home runs from Wright, Reyes, and Beltran, the Mets took a nice lead early and never looked back. The win kept at bay, the panic that could have set in had the team and fans had to stomach another loss last night.

I was at the game with my sister Maggie. Sharing the box was my friend Larry, who is the only person I know who was at the first game ever at Shea in 1964 and who will be at the last regular season game next Sunday, September 28, 2008. My friend Danny joined us in the adjacent box for game 2 and made a really nice grab on a foul ball, that, but for his quick glove, was destined for the screen, but instead was snagged by Danny. Nice catch my friend.

So, down to 15 games to go in the season. Thanks to a nice bounce back win, the Mets lead sits at 2.5 games (3 in the loss column). Stay tuned for a game by game countdown to the end of the season.